Toilet



Jan. 23, 1968 L. J. FYANS 3,364,502

TOILET Filed Oct. 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. LESLIE J F VANS BY MALLI/VC/(RODF 8 MALL/NCKFPODT ATTURNEY$ L. J. FYANS TOILET 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1965 S .N R m mm B w E W. L w M w W a 5 4 Z a m 6 3." wW 3 W) 2 BY MALLl/VCKRODT 8 MA LL/lVCK/POD r %4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,364,502 TOILET Leslie J. Fyaus, 775 9th Ave., Salt Lake City, Utah 84103 Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,080 Claims. (Cl. 4-82) This invention relates to toilets and more particularly to flushing systems therefor.

Most toilets in common use today include a bowl in which a pool of water is maintained and into which waste material is directly introduced before the toilet is flushed and the waste material and Water are discharged to a sewer line. Flush water from a water tank is distributed through a crown surrounding the bowl and cleans the sides of the bowl as it falls to a depressed bottom and is discharged to the sewer line. The last of the flush water is trapped in the depressed bottom to form the pool, thereby placing the toilet in condition to again receive waste material.

Such conventional toilets are unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. For example, many persons find the noises resulting from introduction of waste material directly into the pool objectionable or embarrasing. In addition, waste material accumulating on the sides of the bowl is unsanitary, and the manual flushing does not always remove it, especially if it has been allowed to remain in place for a period of time.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a toilet wherein the pool maintained in the bottom of the bowl is positioned completely out of the area into which waste material is introduced, so that the noises commonly associated with the introduction of such material are eliminated. It is also an object to continuously rinse or pre-flush the sides of the toilet bowl as material likely to adhere thereto is introduced, and to automatically full-flush the toilet thereafter, while still allowing normal flushing operations to be initiated.

Principal features of the invention are a toilet bowl having a depressed area therein, that is positioned behind a partition and separated from the area of the bowl that receives waste material and a special flushing system that pre-flushes the bowl when a downward pressure is applied to the toilet seat, automatically full-flushes the bowl when the pressure is relieved, and can be conventionally manually flushed whenever desired.

There is shown in the accompanying drawings specific embodiments of the invention representing what are presently regarded as the best modes of carrying out the generic concepts in actual practice. From the detailed description of these presently preferred forms of the invention, other more specific objects and features will become apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the toilet of the invention;

FIG. 2, a top plan view;

FIG. 3, a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5, an enlarged view, in section, and with parts broken away, taken within the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6, still further fragmentary view taken within the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings:

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the toilet comprises a base 10 that carries the usual toilet seat 11 and cover 12, both hinged at 13. A water tank 14 is mounted on the base 10 and provides a reservoir for water to be used in the full-flush operations to be described.

3,364,502 Patented Jan. 23, 1968 Base 10 includes a bowl 15 interiorly thereof with a top receiving opening 15a, and a depressed area 15b positioned beneath and behind a partition 15c that extends into the bowl such that Waste material is prevented from falling directly into the depressed area. Partition 15c is constructed such that water, accumulating in depressed area 1512, and shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, and not discharged through reverse trap 15d will form a liquid seal.

A crown 16, having discharge openings 16a therein surrounds the receiving opening 15a and in conventional manner and the toilet seat 11 is positioned above and surrounds the crown.

When it is pivoted to its illustrated lowered position, also, as is conventional, cover 12 is adapted to rest on the toilet seat.

A small diameter pre-flush line 17 extends through one side of the crown 16 to a valve 18 at the front of the toilet. The other end of line 17 passes out through the rear of the base and is coupled to an inlet pipe 19. Water from pipe 19 can then flow into line 17, and, when valve 18 is opened, into the crown to be distributed through openings ia. Because of the small diameter of line 17, the small amount of pre-iiush water carried through the line will be, for the most part, distributed through the openings 16a nearest the valve, and only a small amount, if any, will be distributed through the openings most remote from the valve. The pre-fiush operation takes place whenever pressure is applied to the toilet seat, as by a person sitting thereon, and is accomplished by the use of a valve actuator rod 20, seen best in FIG. 4, that extends through the valve housing 21 and the crown 16 to be contacted by the toilet seat 11.

A spring 22 on the valve housing 21 acts against a plate 23 fixed to the actuator rod to normally bias it to its raised position and to hold a valve head 24 carried at one end thereof against valve seat 25 that surrounds a passageway through partition 26 in the valve housing.

Spring 22 is strong enough to overcome the weight of the valve seat to hold the actuator rod in its raised position and to overcome the biasing effect of a spring 27 in a bellows 28, positioned between the top wall of the crown and plate 23, thereby compressing the bellows and forcing water from the bellows and a conduit 29 connected thereto. However, the weight of a person, even a small child, on the toilet seat, will overcome the biasing eifect of spring 22 to open the valve and to allow spring 27 to expand the bellows.

When valve 10 is opened the pre-flush water can fiow into the toilet bowl. At the same time, expansion of bellows 2% draws in Water from conduit 29 and allows water to flow into the line through an opening 30 and past a flapper valve 31 that is pivotally connected to the downstream side of the interior of conduit 29. A stop 32 limits pivot movement of valve 31 and prevents the valve blocking flow through the line.

Removal of the actuating weight from the toilet seat results in closing of the valve and compression of the bellows under the influence of spring 22. The compression of the bellows forces the water allowed into conduit 29 through opening 30 past the flapper valve 31, with the impinging action of the water effectively closing the valve, and out a restricted orifice 33 in the end of the conduit. The jet of water issuing from orifice 3-3 impinges on a sleeve 34 and forces it upwardly. A stem 35, carried by the sleeve, then contacts the usual flush valve 36 in the water tank 14 and raises it off its seat. As is well known, the water discharging from the Water tank will hold valve 36 off its seat until all of the water has been discharged, at which time the valve will again settle on the seat and the flush tank will be refilled through the usual float controlled ball cock assembly shown generally at 37, FIG.

3. A pin 29a protrudes from line 27 into a slot 34a formed in the wall of sleeve 34 to limit travel of the sleeve. The flush water from the water tank, in discharging past valve 36 enters a holding reservoir 38 and overflows into an auxiliary reservoir 39 from where the greatest part is diverted through line 40 to the front of the crown 16 before it is discharged into the crown and out ports 16a to clean the walls of the toilet bowl. The remainder of the water is diverted to a line 41 to carry it through the base 10 to a discharge port 42 adjacent the depressed area 15b of the bowl 15, to provide an extra cleaning action at this low, settling out point in the bowl.

The water retained in holding reservoir 38 is then available to flow into conduit 29 when the bellows 28 is expanded.

Thus, a pre-fiush is automatically initiated when a person sits on the toilet seat and a full-flush occurs as soon as he moves off the seat.

The usual operating handle 43 is positioned on the side of the water tank, and through levers 44, and rod 45, on which valve 36 freely slides. The toilet can be manually flushed, whenever desired, merely by pivoting the handle. Conventional operating structure can be employed for this purpose.

The bowl is preferably shaped to have a trough 46 extending from near the crown at the front of the bowl downwardly to the depressed area 15b of bowl 15. With this arrangement material falling into the bowl will normally be carried into trough 46 and be carried by the greatest volume of flush water to depressed area 151;.

Whereas there are here illustrated and specifically described certain preferred constructions of apparatus which are presently regarded as the best modes of carrying out the invention, it should be understood that various changes can be made and other constructions adopted without departing from the inventive subject matter particularly pointed out and claimed herebelow.

I claim:

1. A toilet comprising in combination a bowl having its rim formed as a hollow flushing crown provided with discharge openings for directing water onto walls of the bowl;

a pre-flush supply line connected to a source of flush water; a pre-fiush valve positioned in said line to control discharge into said crown; a valve actuator extending through the crown and into engagement with the toilet seat; and means biasing said valve closed against the weight of the seat, said valve being opened by the weight of a person on the seat. 2. A toilet according to claim 1, further including normal flushing means; and

means responsive to removal of the weight of a person from the toilet seat for actuating said normal fiushing means.

3. A toilet according to claim 2, wherein the means responsive to removal of the weight of a person from the toilet seat to flush the bowl includes a bellows, said bellows being normally biased to an expanded condition;

means, including the means biasing the pre-iush valve closed, compressing the bellows when the pre-tlush valve is closed;

and means responsive to compression of the bellows for actuating said normal flushing means.

4. A toilet according to claim 2, wherein the bottom of the bowl is adapted to retain a pool of water; and the back of the bowl is formed as a wall overhanging said bottom to shield said pool of water.

5. A toilet according to claim 4, wherein the front of 30 the bowl is troughed from the crown to the bottom thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 667,878 2/1901 Hastings 451 73 7,859 9/ 1903 Nelson 4-54 1,142,250 6/1915 Grifiiths 425 FOREIGN PATENTS 161,332 2/1955 Australia. 624,211 l/ 1936 Germany.

SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TOILET COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A BOWL HAVING ITS RIM FORMED AS A HOLLOW FLUSHING CROWN PROVIDED WITH DISCHARGE OPENINGS FOR DIRECTING WATER ONTO WALLS OF THE BOWL; A PRE-FLUSH SUPPLY LINE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF FLUSH WATER; A PRE-FLUSH VALVE POSITIONED IN SAID LINE TO CONTROL DISCHARGE INTO SAID CROWN; A VALVE ACTUATOR EXTENDING THROUGH THE CROWN AND INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TOILET SEAT; AND MEANS BIASING SAID VALVE CLOSED AGAINST THE WEIGHT OF THE SEAT, SAID VALVE BEING OPENED BY THE WEIGHT OF A PERSON ON THE SEAT. 